Bottle.



S. B. & 0. BATSPORD.

BOTTLE.

APPLICATION FILED T11R12, 1912.

Patented Jan. 14,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANUGRAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE' STERLING B. BATSFORD, OF BERKELEY, ANDCRAMER BATSFORD, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

BOTTLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

To all 10/1 amit may concern.

Be it known that we, STERLING B. BATS- rono, of Berkeley, Alamedacounty, State of California, and ORAMER Bnrsronn, of Oakland, Alamedacounty, State of California, both citizens of the Unitedv States, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Bottles, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to bottles and particularly to an improved bottlestopping device having a function of preventing the surreptitiousfilling of the bottle or adulterating the contents thereof.

The object of the present invention is to provide a bottle in whichthere is arranged a combination of elements cooperative to prevent theunwarranted introduction of the fluid into the bottle.

The invention is designed to automatically operate under variousconditions to effectually seal the bottle against the insertion of afluid; the elements being arranged and designed to prevent the fillingof the bottle when various forces or agents are employed to so affectthe elements as to render them inoperative to effect their properfunctions.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combinationof parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, havingreference to the accompanying drawings, in which" Figure 1. is avertical sectional view of the upper portion of a bottle in its normallyupright position with the valve closed and locked. Fig. 2 is a view ofthe bottle in inverted position with the valve open to permit thedischarge of its contents. Fig. 2-3 is an end view of the locking deviceof the valve. Fig. 4; is a perspective view of a modified form of valveand its seat. Fig. 5 is a view showing bottle in horizontal position.

Many attempts have been made to produce bottle stoppering device whichwill be effective to prevent the refilling of a bottle in connectionwith which the device may be arranged. Persons desiring to unwarrantedlyfill, or adulterate the contents of, a bottle try by divers methods torender the stoppering device ineffective.

It is one of the important objects of this invention to so design,construct and arrange the parts that they willeifectually prevent beingrendered inoperative by the application of divers methods with thatobject in view.

Heretofore floats, counterweights and other peculiar devices have beenutilized, but to our knowledge no practical structure has been devisedwhich is able to successfully contend against the application of someone of a great number of methods which may be employed to force a fluidinto the vessel. To the end of providing a structure which willsuccessfully resist methods known at present for refilling the bottle,we have evolved and successfully constructed a bottle stoppering devicewhich involves a valve 2, of suitable design, capable of closing againsta valve seat 3 which may be formed or mounted in a neck 4a of a bottleor other vessel 4. The valve 2 is shown as provided with a stem 5 guidedin a bearing 6 formed in the valve seat 3; the lower end of the stemhaving a plurality of substantially radial arms 7 which are adapted toreciprocate in unison with movements of the valve 2 and be guidedagainst circumferential movement in slots 8 in a hearing 9 formed withor attached to the valve seat 3.

The cross arms 7 of the valve stem 5 are adapted to have a longitudinalmovement in the bearing 9 sufficient to permit the valve 2 to move awayfrom its seat 3 when the latter is inverted to the position shown inFig. 2. In order to prevent any movement of the valve 2 away from itsSeat 3, except when the bottle t is in a substan tially invertedposition, we provide a number of freely swinging weights or pendulums 10pivoted upon projections 11 of the bearing 9 and having annular hubs 12over which the radiating arms 7 normally project, so that when theswinging pendulums 10 move or gravitate automatically as the vessel 4 istilted, the overlapping portions of the arms 7 will constantly bear uponthe annular surface of the hubs 12 and thus effectually prevent anymovement of the valve 2 away from its seat until the vessel at has beensubstantially inverted, at which time the several pendulums dependingfrom their pivots 11 will have such a relation to the inverted bottle orvessel 4 that the outwardly projecting ends of the arms 7 may freelyslip into notches 13 formed at an appropriate point in the periphery ofthe an; nular hubs 12 of the pendulums.

The operation of the valve and its pendu lums 10 is as follows: hen thevessel l: is in any position other than a completely inverted one, theoutwardly projecting ends of the arms will overlap and ride upon theannular hubs 12 of the penvluluins 1.0, and due to the number of thesepcndulums 10 some one or the other of them will always be effective torestrain movement of the valve stem 5 as the vessel is tilted in anyangle in 'a complete circle until the bottle is entirely inverted. asshown in Fig. 2, at which time all of the pendulunis will stand verticalbelow their pivots 11. At that instant the portionsof the arms 7normally tfi'tlltl'm'llllg and riding upon the aunular hubs 1.2 will bepermitted to fall slightly by reason of the position of the notches 18and the valve will then drop, as shown in l ig. 2, permitting thecontents of the vessel to percolate downwardly and out of the vessel.

In order to prevent the bottle from being charged while the "alvc isopen due to the inverted position of the bottle, there is introduced inthe bottle necl: and adjacent to the valve 2 a suitable float let, thecircumference of which is designed to permit the free passage of fluidfrom the v rel. l l hen an attempt is made to force fluid up into theinverted bottle should the fluid reach the floatthis will automaticallyrise and lift and close the valve 2 against its seat 3, thus effectuallycutting; off the up 'ardly flowing water or other tluid.

If desired, the float 1st may be centrally perforated, as at 15, toslide upon the stem 5 of the valve As a means for eliminating any chanceof the bottle being; filled when placed in a horizontal position, thereis provided a ball 16 which is introduced between the concave surface 17of the float ll and. a battle diaphragm 18 arranged in the upper part ofthe necl; of the bottle or vessel and having fluid discharge ducts 18The diaphragm 18 is formed with a relatively small, central. concavedseat 19 upon which the ball 16 will when the bottle is brought to asubstantially inverted position, but when the latter is tilted at arelatively slight, angle in any direction from the vertical then theball 16 rolls out of the seat 19 and shifts the float 1 t to close thevalve 2.

The reason for providing a plurality of pendulums or weights 10 is thatsome one or the other will always be in such positioin relative to itsrespectiv arm 7 as to prevent any movement of the valve 2 away from itsseat regardless of any method or force which may be employed in anattempt to render these devices ineffective to lock the valve 2 closeduntil'the bottle is entirely inverted. \Vhen the bottle is so invertedand the valve. open,- any attempt by divers methods to force a fluidinto the bottle past the open valve will be frustrated due to theautomatic action of the float 14- as tluid rises in the 11G(3l( of thebottle; and again if any method be attempted to till the bottle when itis in any position whereby it might possibly be contrived to render thependulums 1O inoperative, then the ball 16 will become operative byrolling out of its seat 19 to act upon the float and through this closethe valve 2.

From the foregoing it will. be seen that the automatic locking; devices10 will be operative in practically all positions of the bottle, savethe inverted one, to etfectually close and lock the valve 2 upon itsseat. In addition to this locking means the Heat is provided, and infurther addition the ball 16 is employed.

The weights or pendulums 10 have not only the function of locking thevalve upon its seat in nearly all positions, but they have the furtherfunction of acting as automatic actuators due to the inclined surface ofthe notches 13 which press the arms 7 outwardly as the bottle is tilteda *ay from a true vertical position; the force or power of the weights10 being sufficient to accomplish this automatic movement of the valvearms 7.

in Fig. 1: there is shown a somewhat modified form of valve 2, thisbeing shown as cup-shaped and adapted to rest upon an appropriatelydesigned seat The notches 13 of the hubs 12 are shown as slightly to oneside of the center line of the pendulums; this arrangement being foundpracticable in that it permits the hub 12 to be made of small diameter,thus increasing the leverage of the pendulums against the arms 7.

hlanifestly the most expedient means or methods may be employed for theineX- pensive const-ruction of the present stoppering device. In thepresent instance the vessel at is shown as having its upper portionformed with a seat 20 against which may be placed acork-receivinaportion 21, in which may be formed the battle diaphragm18, and any appropriate means may be employed for securing; the portion21 of the part 4;; likewise any appropriate means may be employed. forattaching or forming the valve seat 3 in the neck of the vessel, thisbeing indicated. here as resting upon the seat 20 of the vessel neck andbeing secured by welding or cementing at 22.

The bottle may be initially filled by utilizing any simple device whichwill temporarily hold the valve 2 from its seat 3. Sucha device mayconsist of a piece of cord which may he threaded through the diaphragm18 before the parts are finally assembled in the finished bottle; thelower end of the cord being continued aroun-d the-flo'at and ex tendedunder the valve, and the upper end of the cord being sufliciently longand eX tending upward to permit an operator to withdraw it through thediaphragm 18 after the bottle has been filled. \Vhen the cord has beenwithdrawn it will be impossible to again have access to the valve 2 withany means which could effect an opening of the same.

lVhen the bottle is inverted the concaved surface 17 of the float 14cautomatically forces the ball to roll toward the center depression orseat 19 of the diaphragm 18.

The apparatus may be constructed of various materials best adapted tomeet the uses to which it may be employed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is Q 1. In a liquid container, a stoppering structurecon'lprising a valve seat mounted in the container, a valve movable toand from said seat and having a stem and substantially radialprojections on the end there of. and means including a plurality ofindependent swinging pendulums having hubs operating against saidprojections to automatically lock said valve upon its seat in any save asubstantially inverted position of the container.

2. In a liquid container, a stoppering structure comprising a valve seatmounted in the container, a valve movable to and from said seat andhaving a stem and substantially radial project-ions on the, end thereof,means including a plurality of independent swinging pendulums arrangedequidis tant around the stem between the valve and the said projectionsand having hubs operating against the latter to automatically lock saidvalve upon its seat in any save a substantially inverted position of thecontainer,

and a device adapted to close said valve when the container is in aninverted position when a fluid rises in the lower portion of thecontainer.

3. Means for preventing the charging of a vessel, said means comprisinga valve seat mounted in the vessel, a valve seatable upon and guided inthe valve seat, and having a stem with its end provided withsubstantially radial projections, a float adapted to close the valvewhen the bottle is inverted, and a plurality of gravity actuatedpendulums spaced around the stem and located between-the end of the stemand the valve, said pendulums having hub portions whose peripheries ridein contact with the projec tions whereby the valve is locked in itsclosed position save when the container is substantially inverted.

+t. A stoppering structure for vessels, comprising a movable valve, aseat therefor in the vessel, a fioatable member on one side of thevalve, a freely movable spherical weight, a battle diaphragm havingdischarge ducts, and a central concaved seat for restraining the upwardmovement of the spherical weight between which diaphragm and the floatmember the weight is interposed, and a gravitv actuated means forlocking the valve in closed position, said last named means including aplurality of gravity actuated pendulums positivelv operating upon thevalve by their weight and serving to hold the valve closed.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

STERLING B. BATSFORD. CRAMER BATSFORD. Vitnesses KIRBY S. REIs'r, J.IRVING READ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

